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DeWaine Warren Olson

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Funeral services for DeWaine Warren Olson, 91, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, December 9, 2022 at the Wilson-Little Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will be at the Washington Cemetery under the direction of the Wilson-Little Funeral Home in Purcell.

Mr. Olson passed away on December 4, 2022.

Dewey was born on a family farm in Rolling Forks, Minnesota, on November 15, 1931.

He lived in Glennwood, Minnesota, until he was 10. The family moved to Rapid City, South Dakota, where he loved growing up in the outdoors of the Black Hills.  He started a paper route at the age of seven and became quite industrious his whole life.

He worked odd jobs after school and saved his money. Later he worked at JJ Newberry beginning as an assistant manager in Rapid City and ended up in La Junta, Colorado. Managing the store there evolved into his ownership of his own hardware store there. He served in the Korean War in the Army 11th Airborne Division; he made 25 jumps as a parachuter. He married Joanne Sanders in 1953 and Ross and Ryan were born in La Junta, Colorado.

After approximately 10 years he and his family went back to Caputa, South Dakota, to work the Sanders Ranch for his father-in-law for three years. In 1971, he chose to use his marketing expertise as a sales manager over Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri for 25 years.

He married Karen Spurgeon Reece on July, 20, 1991 and had an exciting and fun life together. First, they experienced the lake life in Westport, Oklahoma, on Lake Keystone.

After retiring in 1996, they travelled and lived in South Dakota in the summer, and Oklahoma in the winter to be close to their family. Dewey was always surrounded by his friends and loved his coffee buddies. He always had a story or a joke entertaining his friends. He loved traveling, dancing, music, the lake, cards (especially spades), mowing the lawn, his family, and construction. He loved to buy homes and restore them. He loved making things better. He especially loved his family and friends.

He lived a full and rewarding life with many friends, amazing children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Johnnie and Opal; and brothers, Dennis, Landis and Orlin Olson.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Karen Olson; children, Ross Olson, Ryan and Jacqueline Olson, Tonia Rollins, Connie and Donnie Beller and Kerri and Steven Goodspeed; grandchildren, Christopher Olson, Kara and Tel Koan, Tristan and William Malone, Taylor and Colton Hankins, Delaney Beller, Cole Beller, Emily Goodspeed, Allison Goodspeed and Elizabeth Goodspeed and great-grandchildren, Tyrel Koan, Rozyn Koan and Liam Malone.

Online condolences may be made at wilsonlittlefuneralhome@gmail.com.